Book recommendation?

This question is actually not about teaching (just finished my student teaching) but about the 3rd grader I mentor.

He's going to be 9 in a few weeks and I'd like to get him a book or two.

He is a very reluctant reader, I haven't met w/ his teacher but just from casual observation I'd say he's slightly below grade level, but his issue is more just that he doesn't enjoy reading. He picks books that are too easy for him.

Can someone recommend some good "starter" chapter books? Ones with lots of pictures?

I teach 2nd grade and I purchased some chapter books for my children to read. Here are some book that you might want to look at:
My Weird School Series by Dan Gutman:
(ex: Miss Daisy is Crazy) - he has 18 books in this series out now

I have quite a few struggling readers and here are some of the books they like:

My students really seem to like the Captain Underpants books, also (although I think they are pretty gross). They also like the Arthur Chapter books. Dan Gutman came to my school this year and he was excellent! The students really like his books. The Horrible Harry Books are popular and the Magic Treehouse books too. Hope that helps!

How about a non-fiction book as well? Find out what he likes and get a book about that subject. This can be a way to get reluctant readers to read. My son didn't like to read, but he would read about bicycles or cars - things he was really interested in.

You might try the Timewarp Trio books. They are by Jon S. (same guy who did Stinky Cheese Man.) Boys tend to like non-fiction more than fiction, so if he is a low reader you might think about the Rookie Read-About Science books. These could be a good jumping off point.

I just recently read a book called "Hooway for Wodney Wat" to a third grade class, and they absolutely loved it. It was funny. But, then I might be concerned a very emotionally mature student might think it a bit silly. If you are interested, go to the public library, and look through the book there. If you like it and find it appropriate, then you can purchase it. "Zoom" is a really cool book, I think that would be fun for a mature-ish boy.